Clamping device for concrete forms



Nov. 3 1925.

H. o. M NiH-LAN CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed July 12. 1924 %ll$ firm/Met I Patented Nov. 3,1925.

I UNITED STATES 1,559,574 PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD o. MQMILLAN, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CLAMPING nnvrcnron co ncnn'rn FOR-MS.

Appl ication fil ed July 12, .1924. 'SerialNo. 725,712.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, HOWARD O. MoMlL- LAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of-Minnesota, have invented certain new" and. useful Improvements" in Clamping Devices for Concrete Forms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. r V

This invention relates to a clamping means and particularly to such a means adapted to be used to hold concrete forms or other building structure of various kinds in fixed position. The clamp'is especially I adapted for use where the parts are held together by parallel wires or rods extending therealong, and engaging a tightening means. Such tightening means, as illustrated, comprises a spindle to the ends of which the wires or rods are secured, said spindle then being rotated to tension the wires or rods and thenheld in position with said wires or rods tight or under tension.

- It is an object-of this invention to provide such a clamping means comprising a spindle having end portions provided with apertures adapted to receive wires or rods, together with clamping means for holding said wires or rods securely in said end portion.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a spindle having end portions apertured to receive the wires or rods, said spindle having clamping screws in the ends thereof adapted to engage the wires in said apertures to hold the same during the tlghtening operation and after the same are tightened. 4

It is further an object of the invention to provide a spindle as above set forth, in which the clamping screws extend into the ends of the spindle and longitudinally thereof.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide such a spindle having a central portion adapted to be rotated and having means for holding it in various rotated positions and having end portions provided with transverse apertures, said end portions also having clamping screws eX- tending substantially axially thereinto and i said apertures having spaced transverse ing screws whereby the wire extending through said aperture will be pressed between said raised portions by "said' 'clamp'- ing screws and securely held in position;

These and other obj ect's and advantages of the invention will "be fully set forthin the following description made in connection -with the accompanying drawingsin which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughoutthe diflerent views, and in which, m 1 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the device in position clamping the parts of the concrete form together' Fig. 2 'is a vertical section taken substantially 011 the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the 4 end portion of theispindle used; and- Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, as indicated by the arrows, Figs. 2,, enlarged scale.

Referring-to the drawings, a form fora concrete wall is illustrated comprising the vertical'posts 1 and 2, the side boards 4 and 'a spacing strut 8"shown as extending between the top boards 4. While theinvention is shown as applied to'a form for a wall it is, of course, obvious that it will be applied to clamp or hold together any desired members. 1

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the form, and particularly the posts 1 and 2 are embraced by the wire 5, the ends 3 and 4 being shown on an of which are secured to and wound about a spindle member 6 which engages the outer side of the post 2. The spindle 6'is provided'with angularly spaced slots 6 adapted to receive a key member 7. The key member .7 is shown'as formed of a flat bar bent substantially at right angles and having a short arm 7 and a longer arm 7.

In order to hold the ends of the wire 5 securely in the spindle 6 during the tightening operation, said spindle is provided with end portions adapted to project beyond the post 2, each of which has extending therethrough an aperture 6 While the aperture. 6 may be of various forms, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the same is shown as being substantially cylindrical. The end portions of the spindle are also provided with a bore extending longitudinally thereof which is threaded to receive a clamping screw 8 illustrated as in'the form of an ordinary set screw and which, prefer- -have their ends inserted through the aper :t-ionsf, 6 i as. sh-ownin Fig. 14*. The. set

I s i n s-y & l

ably,

spindle6. The aperture 6" is provided on at either side ot' thek- 'set screw- 8. andi= illu's-i trated as being in the form of sharp-edged ribs.

In operation, the Wires or light rods 5 Will fill-1'35; 6B and dravvn substantially into tight position, The set screw" 8 iH't-hen be tight enedgandathe same: Will press against the said. wireand; tightly clamp the same, said wire being depressed between the projec I screw 8- -willalso tightlyengage and bite into the wiresothat. the wire is very securely held in;pos i t-ion. jin.tlie end of the spindle, The spindle is-now turned by in-sertin'ga bar into the slot 6 until the parts are sufficiently clamped-and the-desired tension placed. upon the -wires or rods 5l- Wh'e-nthe Wires are thus sufficientlytightenedthe key '7 is inserted inrone of the slots. 6 so asto engage the outer side -i-ofpost 2-a1idprevent backward-rotationofthe spindle 6. providing thelongfiand short arms on .the key 7, andhavingythe angnlarl'y. disposed slots 6*, the key canibe placedmin sixteen difiierent positions -so,-thatauvjer y slight, any, retrograde movement of the spindlefilis permitted- It Will lee-noted; asshovvn inFig. 2, that: thea-kev can. be. placedin reverse positions] inyth'e slots- (St-.5 'L'he tightening Wire or rod is thusquickly;- brought to the desired tension and; securelydield in position When it- -is;desired- -toloosen s the parts, the key 7 will bel removed and -theswires or clamping rodserslaekened- 01' the set screw vs. 8' can quickl be loosened to permit slackness-of From; the-abovedescription it is seen, that applicant-has providedfa very simple and eflicient clamping device and oiie Which. has a high; degree of util ty -in, clamping. concrete' forms; shoring-timbers etc. Theclainp canqu-icklyaand easily'be; brought-t0 clamping position 'and can be quickly released and alsoholds the clamped parts securely inposi-tion- The device is=-easily and quickly made and -tanbe; produced at a low cost.

extends "substantially axially of the Thestriictiire The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and i'ou'ndto be-very successfill and efficient.

ous changes may be made in the form, deta1ls-,= arrangement-and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of applicantsinvention which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth; suchias sh ovvn' and describe'd' and" definedin 'the appended claims.

What is clainiedjis:

1; A clamp of the class 'describedc01npris= ing a spindle havingan intermediate portion adapted to engage a} support, said spindle having end portions apertured toliavei a Wire o-r' rod pass tli'erethrongh, -a1'1da *set screw threaded into each end of-{said spindle and extending longitudinally" thereofadapt ed to engage said Wires or rods'in" saidiap'ertures' and clamp thesa ne in position."

2. A clamp of'the" kind jde'scribdcomprising 'a spindle havingan intermediate portion adapted to engage an'atutmentjsaictspindle having; end portions, each end portion having transverse" aperture therethrongh adapted to receive a rod, afolampi-ngjscrew extending substantially I axially into" the outer end of said portionfisaid' spindle haVZ- ing. spaced raised "portions extending-transversely offsaid apertnrefat-each side of said screw, said screwbeingyadapted'to press 'a wire or. rod, betweenlsai'dra'isedj portions? and clamp the same securely position? p se't'fforth iIrclai-Ih 2,f;said raised portion comprising sharpfedge'd ri'b.

/ d. Aclam'pjot tllfkliid dSClibGd-COIIIPITTS- .ing. -a rotatable spindle} having an intermediate: portion .adapted'td en age andbef-rotated relatix' ely toa support, said"spindlfe having. end. portions with transverse; apertures extending, tliejrethrongh ada'p'tBdto-receive rods, and. 'I'n'e ans carried sa-i'dfspindle .and threaded thereinto e tendi-ng-intofsaid apertures to engage and clamp-saidf'rods rigidly therein, and means for holdiiigfsaid spindle inivarious rotated positions.

In testimony WhereofI afiiii si'gnflatiir'e'.

- ARD O, MQMILL'ANQ." 

